Machine for mounting photoprints and similar articles.



J. RANZ. MCENE FR NIUUNTING PHOTOPRINTS AND SIMILAR ARTIULES AIPLICMION FILED MAR4 5, 190s.

91 1,070. Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

3 SHEETS-SHEET l.

J. RANZ. MACHINE IOR MOUNTING PHOTQPRINTS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES. APPLICATYQN FILED MAR 5.1008.

91 1,070. Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

3 SHEETSSHEET 2.

UNITED sTATEs la-TENT oEEIoE.

JACOB RANZ, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR Ol" ONE-HALF TO JACOB F. LANG, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

MACHINE- FOR MOUNTING PHOTOPRINTS AND SIMILAR ARTICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 2, 1909.

Application led March 5, 1908. Serial No. 419,887.

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, JACOB RANz, a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented'a certain new and useful Improvement in Machines for Mounting Photoprints and Similar Articles, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and 1o" 'use the same, reference being had to the ac companying Ydrawings, forming part of this lspecification, in which- Figure '1 is a perspective View of a machine v"constructed in accordance with my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on approximately the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrow in said figure; Fig. 3 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on the line 3--3 of Fig. 2; Fiv. 4 is a vertical sectional View of the table YThat sup orts the object to which a print is to be applied, this figure also showing one of the pic -u i devices in section'; Fi f. 5 is a detail view o the underneath side o the gear that imparts movement to the ,ick-up device carrier; and Fig. 6 is a verticalsectional view of the table that sup orts the pile of prints. This invention relhtes to machines for mounting photoprints, labels and similar articles, anr has for its object to provide a machine oi simple construction that will automaticall pic.; up prints or labels, apply some suitabe adhesive thereto, and theren after press the prints on the cards or objects on which they are to be mounted. f.

Briefly described, my machine comprises an intermittently moving carrier provided with a lurality of hollow pick-up devices, means or creating a suction in said devices so as to remove photoprints or similar articles from a table, means for ap lying an adhesive to said prints after sani? pick-up devices have removed them from the table, means for partially drying the adhesive on said irints, and means for thereafter prossing the print upon the carddilank or object to which it is to be applied. Y

Referring to the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of my invention, 1 designatcs a verticallv dis oscd shaft provided at its upper ond witii a plurality of radially rojecting arms i? that form a pici up evice carrier. A gear 3 is loosely mounted on the shai' t 1 adjacent the lower end thereof and said gear is driven continuously by a Worm 4 on the main drive shaft 5 of the machine. I prefer to connect said worm and drive shaft together by means of a clutch of any. suitable design so that the worm and fear 3 can remain at rest while the drive sha t continues ingperation but as said clutch forms no part of my present invention I have not illustrated same.

In order that an intermittent or step-hv step movement will be imparted to the pichup device carrier I have provided means for automatically :connecting the shaft 1 and gear 3 to'ether and then disconnecting theni after sai shaft has made a uarter revolution. Said means consists o a lurality of spring-actuated ins 6 mounts in an enlai-ged portion o the shaft 1, an opening or recess 1n the upper side of the gear 3 into which said pins 6 roject as the gear revolves, and a pair of cam locks 7 and 7 mounted on a stationary plate 8, said cam blocks being provided with adjusting screws 9 that can be manipulated to change the positions of said blocks and thus vary the time of operation of the pick-up device carrier.` The ins 6 are forced downwardly by means of co' ed springs 10 inter osed between the up er ends of said pins an a plate 11 on the shait 1 and each of said pins is provided with a laterally rojecting head 12 that eoperates with t e cam blocks 7 and 7 to move the pin upwardly away from the gear 3. When one of the pins 6 projects into the hole or recess in the ripper S1( e of the gear 3 the Shaft 1 will rotate with` saidfgear until the laterally rejecting head 12 on said o erative pin stri es the inclined face of one o the cam blocks, say, for example, the cam block 7 on the front side of the machine, as shown clearly in Fig. 1. Said cani block 7 causes said operative pin to move upwardly out of the hole in the upper side of the gear 3 andy thus disconnects the shaft 1 from said gear. Said shaft remains at rest until the hole or recess in the up r sido of the gear 3 comes into alinement with the second pin 6 in the shaft; namely, the pin that is arranged in advance of the pin that has just been disengaged from the gear and when said second pin moves downwardly into the hole in the gear the shaft 1 will be again connected to the gear 3 and Will rotate with same until said second pin comes into contact with the cam block 7'a at the rear side of the machine. Said cam block 7 dis lll conduits 21 of all of the pick-up devices leadengages thisf'sccond pin from the gear and the s iaft 1 and pick-up device carrier remain at rest until the hole or recess in the upper side of the gear 3 i emes into alinement with the third pin 6 in he shaft 1. When said third pin passes into said recess the shaft 1 will make another quarter revolution, this third pin being disengaged from the gear by the cam block 7 at the front side of the inachine. The last quarter revolution is imparted to the pick-up device carrier when the hole in the gear comes into alineinent with the fourth pin in the shaft 1, said fourth pin bein disengaged from the ear by the cam bloei 7a at the rear side of t e machine.

From the foregoing it will be seen that an intermittent or step-by-step movement is' imparted to the pic -up device carrier, the driving mechanism for said carrier being so constructed that the ear 3 makes two comeiete revolutions wlnle the shaft 1 of the pick-up device carrier is making one coniplete revolution.

For enabling the ick-u device carrier to be rotated or turno at wiH I have provided means for moving all of the pins 6 on the shaft 1 into an inoperative position so that they cannot pass into the recess in the upper side of the geai` 3'. Said means consists of a manually-operated ring 13 rotatably mounted on the shaft 1 and provided with four cam faces 13 that cooperate with laterally projecting heads 12 on said pins, said cam faces and cooperating heads causing all of the pins 6 to move upwardly when the ring 13 is rotated in one direction. J

Each arm 2 of the pick-up device carrier is provided with a pick-up device that consists of a hollow pyramide -shaped member 14 provided at its upper end with a tubularshaped extension 15 that fits into a boss 16 on the arm, said member being held in position by means of a set screw 17 that passes through' the bossY 16 and bears against the tubular extension 15, as shown iii Fig. 4. The boss 16 is provided with a central bore or opening 18 that alines with the o eniug in the tubular extension 15 and at t e upper end of said central opening 18 is a valve casing 19 in which a piston valve 20 is slidingly mounted. A pipe or conduit 21 passes through the side wall of said valve casing and the opposite end of said pipe is connected to a pipe 22 in which a suction is created by some suitable means, not shown, the pipes or ing to this inain pipe 22, `as shown in Fig. 1. The slide vaive 20 is provided with a port that establishes communication between the ipe 21 and pick-up device when said valve is m one position, and a branch leads from said port so as to establish communication between the pick-up device and an air outlet port in the valve casing when the valve is in a different position. A plate 23 closes the fplate oi' said device.

lower end ofthe member 14 and is connected to lugs or bosses 14 on said member, the edges of said plate being spaced away from the sidcsof the member 14 so that a slot 23a is produced which permits air to be drawn into the pick-up device when the valve 20 is in position for establishing communication between the pick-up device and the ipe 21. As the air rushes into the pick-u novice a suction is created which causes a p loto-print or similar article to adhere to the bottom plate of said pielcup device as shown in Fig. 4, until the valve 20 is operated to close the pipe 21. The valve 20 is reciprocated by means of a bell crank lever 24 pivotally connectedto a bracket on the arm 2 and having its outer endy inned to' the stem of the valve, as shown in `ig. 1, said lever 24 being o rated by mechanism hereinafter described).e

The prints or labels that are to be mounted are arranged in a pilerA on a table 25 located in the path of movement of the pick-up devices and said table is supported by a pluner 26 that is reci rocatingly mounted in a caring 27 on the base plate 28 of the inachine. A sprin 29 is preferably interposed between the tab e and the upper end of the plunger 26 so that the table will be yieldingly supported, and the flange on the underneath side of the table whic i surrounds the upper end of the plunger is provided with a key 30 that enters an elongated slot in the plunger so as to prevent the table from r0- tating relatively to the plunger. The driving mechanism for the pick-up device carrier is so timed that when said carrier comes to rest one of the pick-up devices 14 is arranged above the pile of prints on the table 25 and said table 1s then moved upwardly so as to force the topmost rint of the pile against the bottom ol'v the picE-up device. The plun er 26 on which said table is mounted is provi ed with a laterally projecting arm 31 that carries an adjustable trip rod 32, and when said plunger moves upwardly the upper end yof said trip rod will engage the valve-operatin lever 24-of the ick-up device that is locate above said taille, and move the valve upwardly so as to establish communication between the suction pipe 21 and the interior of the ick-u device and thus create a suction in tlxie piclP-up device which causes the tpmost print of the pile to adhere to the bottom The purpose of interposing apring 29 between the table 25 and plunger 26 is to enable the table to come to rest at different levels and thus allow for the gradual Vreduction in height of the ile of prints on the table. The prints are eld in position on the table by a plurality of ad- ]ustable guides 33 and the table is moved upwardly by means of a lever 34 engaging the lower end of the pluri er 26 and provided at its inner end with a roller which'is located in the path of movement of two cams 35 on the underneath `side of the constantly rotating gear 3, as shown in Fig. 5. In view of the act that the gear 3 makes two revolutions to every revolution of the pick-up device carrie:` the lever 34 will be actuated Whenever said carrier comes to rest.

Mechanism for applying glue or some other suitable adhesive to the print that has just been removed from the pile on the table 25 is located adjacent said table and consists of a roller 36 that is journaled in the side walls of` a glue tank 37 arranged inside of a water tank 38, as shown in Fig. 1. The inner tank or glue tank is provided with laterally projccting arms 37aL that rest upon a flange at the upper edge of the water tank, and the arms 37"l at one side of said glue tank are provided with adjusting screws 39 that bear upon the flange on the Water tank so that said glue tank can be raised and lowered by manipulating the screws 39 and thus change the position of theroller 36 relatively to the ick-u p devices which travel over said roller. as burners 4() are arranged underneath the water tank to heat the water in said tank and thus keep the glue or adhesive in proper condition, and a scraper blade 41 is provided for removing surplus glue from the roller 36. The shaft of said roller is provided with a gear 42 that meshes u ith a worm on the upper end ol' a shaft 43 and said shaft is provided with a bevel gear that meshes with a gear on a countershai't 44, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l. This countershaft 44 is driven by a sprocket chain 45 that passes over a sprocket wheel on the main drive shaft 5 so that the roller in thc glue tank is driven continuously evei'i. when the driving mechanism ol' the pick-up device carrier is disconnected from the main drive shaft of the machine.

A drying apparatus is located adjacent the adhesive-app partially drying the glue that has been applied to the print, and-said drying apparatus is so positioned relatively to the table 25 that one oi' the pick-up devices will be arranged over said drying apparatus when the pick-up device carrier comes to rest. This drying apparatus consists of a cylindtical-shape(l crforated' screen 46 that surrounds fan `)lades on a shaft 47 provided with a pulley rover which a belt 48 passes, said belt being driven from the main shaft of the machine.

The pick-up device carrier is locked when it comes to rest so to hold the pick-up devices in proper position by means of a springactuated sleeve 49 mounted on a standard 50 and adapted to engage lugs 51 on the arms 2 of said carrier. The sleeve 49 is forced upwardly b v means of a spring 52 interposed between the lower end of said sleeve and an adjustable collar 53 on the standard and said' sleeve is drawn downwardly by means of a link 54 which is connected to the outer end of ying means just described for` a lever 55. Said lever is actuated by a pair of cams 56 on the upper side of the gear 3, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and said cams are so disposed that the sleeve 49 will be pulled downwardl just before the gear 3 and shaft 1 of the pic -up device carrier are connected together.

A table 57 is arranged diametrically opposite the dr ing apparatus for holding the card-blank h or object to which the print is to be applied, and said table is provided with adjustable guides 58 that enable the cardhlank to be )ositioiicd properly. rlhe table 57 is adjusta ily connected to the upper end of a plonger 59 which is moirnted in a bearing 6() on the base plate of the machine and said plunger is moved upwardly so as to press the card-blank on the table against the print on the pick-U. device which 1s located above said table. Ir)The means for elevating said plunger 59 consists of a levcr'61 engagf ing tie lower end ol" said plan er and provided at its inner endwith a roller which cooperates with a pair of cams 62 on the underneath side of the gear 3, as shown in Fig. 5, said cams being so dis osed that the lever 61 is actuated to raise t e table 57 Whenever the pick-rp device carrier comes to rest. The table 57 is adji;stably connected to the plunger 59 by a set screw 63, and said table is provided with an adjusting screw 64 that bears upon the up er end of the plunger and thus enables the horizontal position of the table to be varied, see F ig. 4. Theph nger 59 is provided with a lateral] projecting arm 65 that carries an adjustab e trip rod 66 and when said plunger moves upwardly the trip rod 66 engages the valve-actuating lever 24 of the pick-up device that is then located above the table 57 and thus moves the valve of said device downwardly so as to cut off the pipe 21. This destroys the suction which held the print on the underneath side of said piek-.np device so that said print will not tend to stick to the pick-up device When the table and card-blank move downwardly. For preventing the tables 25 and 57 from receiving sudden shocks or jolts when their operating levers 34 and 61, respectively, pass ont of engagement with their coperating cams on the gear 3, I have connected the outer ends of said levers to tension springs 67 which form cushions for said levers.

Having described the construction of my machine 'l will now briefly describe the op` eration: lhe stepby-step movement of the pick-up device carrier brings the pick-up devices progressivcly into alinement with the table 25 that contains the pile of prints. the drying ap aratns, and the table 57 on which the cardlank is placed, the prints being coated with an adhesive as the pick-11p devices travel from the table 25 to Athe drying apparatus. Each time said carrier comes`tn rest the table 25 moves upwardly to present a print to the ick-up device arranged above said table an the table 57 moves upwardly to press the card blank thereon afainst thc i print on tlie pick-up device whici is then ocated above said table, the operator standW ing ad'acent the table 57 so as to place the card-b ariks on the table and remove them therefrom after the prints have been applied thereto. The suction in the pick-up devices holds the prints thereon while they are be` carried from the table 25 to the table 57 en after the roller 36 applies the adhesive to a print, the pick-up device which carries said print comes to rest over the drying a paratus so that the 'adhesive on the print wil be dried partially.

Havingthus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is: f1. A machine of the character described, comprising means for pickin up a photoprint or label,.means for app ying an adhesive to said print, means for partially drying said adhesive, and means for thereafter pressing said print on a card-blank or other object; substantially as described:

2. A machine of the character described comprising a. table adapted to hold a pile of rints or similar articles a table adapted to iiold the object to which the print is to be aplplied, a rotatable member carrying a plura ity of pick-np devices, means or movi said member uitermittently so that sai pick-up devices will come into alinement with said tables, and means for bodily moiring said tables toward said pick-up devices to force the prints into engagement with the pick-np devices and thereafter force the ob- ]ects into engagement with theprints on said pick-up devices; substantially as described.

3. A machine of the character described, comprising a rotatable carrier rovided with a plurality of hollow pick-up evices, a support arranged in the path of movement of said devices for holding a pile of prints or labels, means for creating a suction in said pick-up devices as they come into alinemeiit with said support so that the top print of the pile will adhere to the pickaipdevice, a fan arranged in the path of movement of said pick-up device, and means arranged bctii'ccn said fan and support for applying an adhesive tc the prints carried by scid pick-up devices; substantially as described.

4. A machine of the character described, comprising a rotatable carrier lprovided,with a plurality of hollow pickup t evices, a support arranged in the path of movement of -said devices for holding a pile of prints or labels, means for creating asuction in scid -piclvup devices as they come into alinement with said support so that the top print of the pile will adhere to the pick-up device, a fan arranged iii the pat-h cf movement of said pick-up device, mr si arranged between said fan and support for applying an adhe- `sive to the prints carried by said pick-up deapplic and means for actuating said lastnamed support to force the' object thereon intoengagement with print on the pick up device that is in alinement with said sur port; substantiallyas described.

5. A machine of the character described, comprising a rotatable carrier rovided with a plurality of hollow' pick-up evices, means for causing photo riiits or similar articles to adhere to said pic -up devices when they arrive at a certain position, means for apply ing an adhesive to the prints carried by said devices, means for partially ing the adhesive on saidprints a table a apted to hold the objects to which the prints are to be ap plied, and means for elevating said table as the piclt-n up devices come into alinement with the same; substantially as described.

6. In `a machine of the character described,

o' rotatable carrier provided with pick-up devices, a stationary table adapted to hold prints, a stations.l table adapted to hold the articles to which lthe prints are to be applied, means for moving said carrier intermittently, lockiii means consisting of a springactu ated evice adapted to engage said carrier and hold it at rest when the ickup devices come in alinement with sai tables, a link connected to said device, and a cainactuated lever for o erating said link so as to disengage said loc ing device from the rotatable carrier 5 substantially as described.

7 ln a machine of the character described, a pick-up device carrier provided with a shaft, s continuously rotating member, a piuralit of devices carried by said shaft and adepte( to engage said member to connect the shaft thereto, and manually-operated means for moving all of said devices into an ino erative position; substantially as descri ed.

8. ln a machine of the character described, a pick-up device carrier provided with a shaft, a continuously rotating member, a plurality of devices carried by said shaft and iidnpte to engage said member to connect the shaft thereto, and automatic means for intermittently disciiguging said devices from said rotating memberI so that a stcpby-step "movement is imparted to the carrier; substantially as described.

9. In a machine of the character described, a pick-up device carrier provided with a sliiift, ai rotiitinggear journaled on said shaft and provided with a recess or open a plurality of spring-actuated ins carrie by said shaft and cooperating wit the opening in the gear to connect said shaft and gear together, and means for withdrawing the operative pin from said recess when the shaft reaches a certain position; substantially as described.

10. In a machine of the character described, a pick-up device carrier provided with a shaft, a rotating gear jouriialcd on said shaft and provided with a recess or opening, a plurality of spring-actuated pins carried by said shaft and cooperating with the opening in the gear to eonnei t said shaft and gear together, and stationary cams arranged in the path of movement of said pins for Withdrawing the operative pin from said recess when the shaft reaches a certain position so as to permit the shaft to come to rest while the gear continues in operation substantially as described.

' 11. In a machine of the character described, a carrier provided with a plurality of pick-up devices, means for causing photoprints or similar articles to adhere to said dcvices, a table for holdin the ob'ects to which the prints are to be a p ied, a shaft on which said table is mountec and an adjustable device mounted in said table and bearing upon said shaft for changing the elevation of the table, substantially as described.

12. In a machine of the character described, a carrier provided with a lurality of hollow pick-up devices, pipes leading to said pick-up devices for creating a suction therein, a piston-valve on each picku device for cutting off the suction pipe that lbads thereto, levers for operating said valves, tables for holding photo-prints and the objects to which said prints are to be applied, means for moving said tables toward the ick-up -devices, and means moving with sai tables for actuating said valve-operating levers; substantially as described.

13. In a machine of the character de-` scribed, a carrier provided with a plurality of pick-up devices, a shaft to which said carrier `1s connected, a constantly rotating gear,

means for connecting and disconnecting said shaft and gear intermittently, tables for holding photo-prints and the objects to which said prints are to be applied, and means actuated b Y said gear for moving said tables toward t e pick-up devices when the carrier comes to rest substantially as described.

14. In a machine of the character described, a carrier provided witliya plurality of pick-up devices that carry photo-prints or similar articles, a roller for applying an adhesive to said rints, means for moving said carrier intermittently, means for rotating said roller continuously, and means for adjusting said roller relatively to the pick-up devices on said carrier,l substantially as described, i

15. In a machine of the character described, a carrier moving in a horizontal plane and provided with a plurality of pick- VVu'ptdevices that carry photo-prints or similar articles, a receptacle arranged underneath the adhesive to said prints, means for ad-` justing said roller relatively to said pick-up devices, driving means for said carrier, and means for causin said roller tolrotate continuously even when the ick-u device carrier is at rest; substantial y as escribed.

i6. A machine of the character described, provided with a-pickup carrier having a Hlm rality of radially projecting arms, a ho ow pick-up device detachably connected to each of said arms and having an opening in alinement with an opening in the arm, a valve casing mounted on said arm at the upper end of the opening therein, a conduit or pipe entering said valve casing, a reciprocating valve mounted in said casing, a support arranged :in the path of movement of said carrier I'or holding prints or similar articles, means for appl ring airadhesive to the articles ai'tcr they have been picked u by said pick-up devices, and means for t ereaftcr applying the prints to an article; substantially as described.

17. A machine of the character described, provided with a support adapted to hold a pile olY prints or labels, a support adapted to old articles to which the prints are to be applied, a rotatable carrier, pick-up devices on said carrier, each of which consists of a hollow pyramidal shaped member having a closed end that is provided with a slot or opening, a hollow extension at the apex of said member, and a su port on the carrier to which said meniberis detachahiy connected; substantially as described.

18. A machine of the character described, rovidcd with a support that is adapted to old a pile of rints or labels, a support adapted to holdJ the articles to which the prints are to be applied, a carrier, and a pickup device mounted on said carrier sind consisting of a hollow box-shaped member rovided with a bottom plate having its e ges spaced away from the interior walls of said member so as to produce a slot; substantially as described.

` 19. A machine of the character described, provided with a rotatable carrier havin picl up devices, tables or supports arranged in the path of movement of said pick-up devices for holding prints or labels and the articles to which said prints are to be applied, a glue tank located intermediate said supports ior holding glue or some other adhesive, said glue, tank consisting of an outer receptacle, an inner receptacle provided with laterally projecting arms that extend over the upper edge of the outer receptacle, a roller journa edin the walls of the inner receptacle for applying an adhesive to the prints on said ick-up devices, and adjusting screws carried r said laterally projectin arms and bearing upon the upper edge o? the outer receptacle for varying the position of the roller j relatively to the pick-up devices; substantially as described.

20. A machine of the character described, provided with arcam'ier, piekfup devices on I said carrier, means for causin prints or 1abels to adhere to said pick-up evioes, means for applying an adhesive to said prints, a perforated casmg arranged in the path of movement of said pick-up devices, a fan located inside of said casing for partially drying the adhesive on said prints, and a support arranged in the path of movement of said pickup devices for holding the articles to which the prints are to be applied; substantially as described.

1n testimon whereof I hereunto al my signature in t e presence of two Witnesses, this twenty ninth day of February i908.

JACOB Z.

Witnesses WELLS L. CHURCH, GEORGE BAKEWELL. 

